Microsoft Zoo Was a Cancelled Attempt to Bring Back the Zoo Tycoon Series for Xbox

Kinectimals developer Frontier was working on a Zoo Tycoon game for Xbox 360, before Microsoft cancelled the project.

Called Microsoft Zoo the game was a family title that mixed management with interactive elements, according to former lead artist and UI team leader Anil Glendinning.

“Part zoo creation and part animal interaction, this third person adventure was all charm and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become Kinectimals,” said Glendinning on his website.

“Coming from a marketing background and having worked the similarly targeted brands of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, I wanted to design a GUI that was fun and inviting to use for kids and adults alike.

“For the look of the GUI I took inspiration from junior arts, paper-craft and imaginary journals that could be kept by characters from adventures such as Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn and Tarzan.

“Using mainly earthy hues, saturated colors and combined with hand drawn illustrations and woodcut style prints, I aimed to create a rich and colourful interface that matched the vibrancy and charm of the Zoo game world.”